United States 60 - World Comic Book Review

Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad #1 April Fool’s Day Special (review)

October 21, 2016June 14, 2016 by DG Stewart

Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad #1 April Fool’s Day Special (review)
(DC Comics, May 2016)
Writer: Rob Williams

The publication, “Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad #1 April Fool’s Day Special” is a story which skims thematic tones and mise-en-scenes like a hockey puck on ice. American comic book publisher DC Comics has issued this, no doubt, to tie in with the forthcoming motion picture, “Suicide Squad”.

In trailers for the film, Australian actress Margot Robbie steals the show in her role as the psychotic character Harley Quinn. Harley Quinn, an adversary.of DC Comics iconic hero Batman, is a brawler with no super powers, and as such the character property’s status as a fan favourite is a little unique. Harley Quinn has as a foundation an almost Japanese combination of madness, violence, and raw coquettishness, triggered and perpetuated by an “amae” relationship with one of the most vile and murderous of all comic book villains, The Joker (“Amae” is a Japanese word meaning a subconscious sense of reliance, a desire to be loved, and submissive desire).

This issue, as the title suggests, focusses on Harley Quinn, with other Japanese manga elements. For most of this issue the story is light-hearted and effervescent. The beginning of the story involves Harley Quinn in a state of “hikikomori”, hiding from society in a room eating junk food, with poor hygiene, and suffering delusions.

SMOSH #1: Lost in Translation

June 19, 2017June 13, 2016 by Neil Raymundo

SMOSH #1 (review)
Dynamite Entertainment, May 4th, 2016
Writers: Michael McDermott, Yale Stewart

“SMOSH” is a comedic comic book series published by Dynamite Entertainment, based on the same-named web-based comedy channel from Youtube stars Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla. The duo only serve as co-developers of the story alongside Dynamite editor Rich Young, with zombie anthology FUBAR’s Michael McDermott and online webcomic JL8’s Yale Stewart on writing chores.

The stories themselves are based on recurring SMOSH comedy skits that Messrs Hecox and Padilla conceptualized and starred in, which in a way justifies the use of the SMOSH brand even without the active participation of its creators.

Dynamite Entertainment’s decision to publish an SMOSH comic book is a commercially sound one – Messrs Hecox and Padilla’s network of Youtube channels boasts of more than 36 million combined subscribers. It also helps that the bulk of SMOSH’s audiences consist of that very lucrative teen/tween demographic.

However, the execution palls as neither of the two writers commissioned seem capable of translating SMOSH’s brand of comedy into comic book form.

REVIEW: Symmetry #1

October 21, 2016June 12, 2016 by DG Stewart

Symmetry #1 (review)
(Image Comics/Top Cow, December 2015)
Writer: Matt Hawkins

This intelligent, compelling comic by writer (and editor) Matt Hawkins has its roots manifestly embedded in “The Time Machine”, a book written by H.G. Wells in 1895 (Heineman).

In “The Time Machine”, the nameless English voyager in his time travelling machine heads into a far future (802701 AD) where humans have evolved into two different species: the golden, beautiful, harmless and thoughtless Eloi, who live above the world’s surface, and the brutish subterranean Morlocks, who tend to machines, perform tasks the purpose of which is long forgotten, and who prey upon the frivolous Eloi. It was and remains a haunting tale which has not dated at all, but it carries a significant social message.

Extraordinary X-Men #10: Hiding the dust of time under the rug

October 21, 2016June 7, 2016 by DG Stewart

Extraordinary X-Men #10 (review)
(Marvel Comics, July 2016)
Writer: Jeff Lemire

“Uncanny X-men” is the title of a long-running comic book series published by US comic book publisher Marvel Comics. The extraordinary success of the title can be laid squarely at the feet of meticulous character writer Chris Claremont, who penned the first series of the title for a phenomenal sixteen years (from 1975 to 1991). During this period Mr Claremont introduced innovative staple elements to the title and its many spin-offs. Some of these are very esoteric but popular with readers: a multiplicity of new and complex characters, nasty mutant xenophobia, the Shi’ar alien empire, the rehabilitation of arch villain Magneto, the poignant death(s) of mainstay character and telepath Jean Grey, and, significantly here, time travel as a vehicle for demonstrating how far down the protagonists of the title and the world can descend into dystopia should the X-Men fail.